PGA Tour 2026 changes spark heating debate among golfers; check details
One major change, cutting the number of players with full tour status and shrinking tournament fields has sparked a debate. Two players, former US Open champ Lucas Glover and star Rickie Fowler, have expressed their different opinions on the update.
Starting in 2026, the PGA Tour will reduce the number of players with full exempt status from 125 to 100. This means fewer golfers will have guaranteed spots in tournaments.
Moreover, regular tournaments will have smaller fields, dropping from 156 to 144 players. The reason for these changes is to speed up the play. On the other hand, Rolapp is also focused on talks for a possible merger with LIV Golf, which could reshape the sport.
Lucas Glover, who won the 2009 US Open, isn't happy about the changes. The 45-year-old thinks cutting field sizes is a mistake.
'I think everybody should have a voice, and I think everybody should be taken into account when decisions are made, and limiting access is not a way to grow the talent coming into the PGA Tour in my opinion,' Glover said.
He also argued that smaller fields don't make the tour more competitive. 'We are the only sports organisation that are saying that less players means more competition,' he added. According to Glover, these changes are 'shortsighted.'
Rickie Fowler, a popular PGA Tour star, has a different take. According to him, the changes will make the tour stronger and more elite.
'I think going to 100 is the step in the right direction. We all want PGA TOUR to be the most elite tour there is out here, the best product,' Fowler said.
He believes fewer spots will push players to perform better. 'You get a handful of starts and you better play good when you do.'
Glover and Fowler's disagreement shows a bigger debate in golf: should the PGA Tour be open to more players or focus on being exclusive? As Rolapp leads the tour through these changes and LIV Golf talks, he will seek to find a balance. The 2026 season will show if these new rules make the PGA Tour stronger or leave some players behind.
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